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A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.

Positive Messages

The series portrays the world as a dangerous, duplicitous place where survival sometimes comes at a moral cost. Morality is hardly black and white either; the government isn't always "good," the "bad guy" isn't always "bad," and sometimes a good person must do bad things in pursuit of justice.

Positive Role Models & Representations

Jack is a complex role model, and he carries a lot of baggage -- from murder to an old heroin addiction. That said, he's fully committed to keeping his loved ones safe and will go to any lengths to do so. There are also a number strong female characters who play a critical role in the action and buck conventional stereotypes.

Violence

Violence is realistic and intense, from explosions and gun battles to gory stabbings and bloody injuries.

Sex

Light kissing and innuendo with implied sex but nothing shown onscreen. Some "sexy" characters (mostly women) are scantily clad, but it's not the norm.

Language

"Dammit" is used often, as it's one of Jack's favorite words. Other audibles include "bastard," "bitch," "a--," "hell," and "pissed."

Consumerism

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Some drinking and smoking, with a few subplots involving illegal drugs. In the past, Jack was a heroin user but regrets his actions.

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that 24: Live Another Day is an intense action-thriller that uses plot twists and realistic violence -- from shootings and explosions to bloody stabbings and beatings -- to drive the story forward. Some subplots involve illegal drugs, and minor characters drink and smoke, but sexual content is largely limited to innuendo. The main character uses the word "dammit" a lot, and you'll also hear iffy words like "bitch," "ass," and "pissed."

What's the story?

Picking up some four years after the events of 24 ended, 24: LIVE ANOTHER DAY tells the continuing story of rogue agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland), now a suspected terrorist who's still on the run from authorities. But his real objective is clearing his name -- and saving the world from global disaster -- with help from longtime colleague Chloe O'Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub), who now works with hackers of the free information movement to expose government corruption.

Is it any good?

Fans of 24 will find plenty to love about this well-paced, high-action sequel that brings back several beloved characters and adds some promising new faces to the mix (Benjamin Bratt and Yvonne Strahovski, among others). But the best news is, you don't have to be a 24 diehard -- or have encyclopedic knowledge of all things Jack Bauer -- to enjoy 24: Live Another Day.

Of course, much like the show that inspired it, Live Another Day serves up some serious violence with a side of murky messages, making it an iffy pick for impressionable teens who might not not have the patience to ponder such weighty moral quandaries. Another aspect worth mentioning is the addictive, real-time format, which, while no longer new, can still snare the most casual viewer and suck them into Jack's high-stakes world.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about morality and the series' take on good and evil, and whether that sends a mixed message. Is it OK to do something illegal in pursuit of justice? Where would you draw the line?

How does Jack Bauer measure up as a role model? Is he a hero, an antihero, or something in between?

Does 24: Live Another Day take a position on government and politics? How do fictional dramas like these, whose plots are often rooted in reality, mirror viewers' own feelings about their government and the people in charge?

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